1. Technical Field
This invention relates to padding accessories and, more particularly, to a moisture-absorbent padding for use in combination with a cardboard pizza box for preventing pizza from becoming soggy prior to human consumption.
2. Prior Art
In the field of padding hot carry-out food, such as pizza, a common goal has been to protect the food by maintaining a desirable high food-temperature and retaining the desirable characteristics and quality of the particular food, such as, in the case of pizza, a crispy crust. One particular problem is controlling the release of water vapor (steam) from the package without losing heat from the food. If the steam is not released from the package, it will generally condense within the package, eventually soaking the food item, and resulting in a loss of both product crispness (e.g., the pizza crust will become soggy) and product quality.
For the most part, the prior art relies on a combination of vents, formed within the walls of the package to release any steam from the food, and tabs which raise the food above a bottom surface of the package. Although these prior art methods and structures may be effective in removing steam from the package, they fail to maintain adequate food temperature. Too much convection within the package draws too much heat from the food, resulting in a cold, albeit crispy food product. Further, without adequate support a product, such as a pizza, may collapse, particularly when the crust becomes soggy.
Accordingly, a need remains for a moisture and steam absorbing article for pizza pie containers and the like in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides users with a simple and effective means of keeping a pizza crispy and fresh while in transport.
The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a hat insert that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and which provides a flexible strip having an absorbent deodorized inner layer and including a bilaterally symmetrical trapezoidal upper portion and mirror image lower portion attached together with a connection band which folds along a center longitudinal axis to cover a hat inner band.